Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-01-14
A STRANGER IN GOTHAM.
NEW YORK A CITY PRACTICALLY
WITHOUT ALLEYS.
Cause of the Blockades in Streets and
on Sidewalks-A Truckman who was
solicitations People in Big Cities.
Some Queer Restaurants.

Especial correspondence
New YORK, Jan. 1.-THE stranger in New
York is almost always impressed early and
forcibly by the number of boxes and bales of
goods blocking the sidewalks, and the num-
berless skids over which he is constantly
forced to climb when out walking. And
though he WILL no doubt, admire the imperial
bigness of the metropolis, he will be sure to
compare this state of the sidewalks in the
largest city of the continent with their con-
dition in other cities, and invariably to the
latters' credit. Then, if he be of an inquring
turn of mind, he will try to discover the why's
and the wherefores of this difference, and of
course will at first attribute it to lax admin
lstration on the part of the street department
But the real reason is this: there are prac-
tically no alleys in New York-that is in
lower New York-the busiest part of the
city
This being the case, it is, of course, out of
the question for truckmen to dump their
goods anywhere but on the sidewalks, and
equally impossible for them to receive loads
anywhere but on the streets Skids are a
necessity in the taking on of heavy loads, and
if the loading is done on the streets, they
must be laid across the sidewalks.
1t is this same lack of alleys that causes
annoyance, and induce so much and such
variegated profanity on the part of drivers
and pedestrians. If truckman who is his
own master, and whose compensation there
fore depends upon the number of loads he
hauls day, can bear these jams without los
ing his temper, you may set him
down as a person of very equabe dis
position. Once in a while a truclSman is
found who is genuine philosopher, and the
other day ran across one who combined the
characteristics of the philosopher and the
small swell in fashion that amazed his fell
low truckmen and called forth from them
volley of uncomplimentary remarks.
1t was on Ann street, a thoroughfare about
half as wide as a Chicago alley. The day
was raw and cold and the pavement was COW
cred some inches deep with half frozen
mixture of snow and mud and water Our
truckman had soiled his shoes and in brush
ing against a wheel had smeared his coat
with mud. The blockade gave him an OPP
portunity to make himself smart again.
Seeming satisfied that it would last long
enough for that purpose he drew from under
his high seat wisp broom with which he
neatly busted both his coats. Then he got
out backing box and brush and put an
enamel of jet on his shoes, after which he
drew from his pocket hand glass and comb
and began dressing his purple dyed mus
tache.
Several other truckmen who had, up to this
time, simply watched the toilet maker with
sort of contemptuous interest, evidently
thought this was too much, for they broke
forth in discordant chorus of cat calls and
cries of:
"Hes a dude"
My. what masher it Isl"
saw, come off,
Look at the shwelll"
Besides some other remarks that would
hardly do to reproduce here. But the dude"
didn't care Maybe he expected to drive by
the house Of some bright eyed young woman
before his load was delivered and wanted to APP
pear speckless in her eyes, Anyway, he kept
right on just as if no one had said word
about it.
A great city is like wilderness in one re-
spect-it tends to develop all sorts of strange
characters. This may be because where there
are SO many people all intent upon their own
business, retiring sort of person is left alto
gether to himself, and the crooks and turns Of
his nature, uncorrected by close association
with other natures, unfold themselves with
out let or hindrance. Among some of the
is doing a remunerative business on a well
known street i'll lower New York, who will
not meet Ii man face to face if he can posi-
bly, avoid it. He was pointed out to me the
other day, dodging along between walk and
pavement on a side street at a busy hour. OF
course there must be a reason for this strange
freak Of his but | do not know what it is
Some time, perhaps, may find out and write
1t down for your benefit.
Another strange character is woman of
90, who lives all by herself "over in Jersey"
somewhere. At precisely IL o'clock every
day she enters a certain well known restau-
rant In New York. and seating herself at one
OF the tables orders a dinner, always calling
for the same viands and always paying the
same sum therefor. She comes to New York
every morning, and going to the Battery sea
wall passes an hour or more looking lor gingly
out toward the ocean. 1t is a legend that her
husband was lost at sea years ago while her
cheeks were still red and her eyes were still
bright, but no one knows for certain that it
is true one; and as those who have tried
to find out have been ANONYMOUSLY repulsed
every time it is quite likely she will continue
to keep her secret, for a while at least
Next to people with strange characteristics
come people who follow strange calings
Prominent i'll this class is a man who has built
up fairly profitable business in back num-
bers OF newspapers. His establishment is in
a shanty like structure near one Of the l.
roads and isn't at all imposing until the Wis
itor gets inside and down into the little cellar
he calls the vault" where he keeps his pa
pers. There are enough old newspapers in the
back-numberm cellar to kindle great
many kitchen fires, but the using of these